Balance Is Key to Making Quantum-dot Solar Cells Work

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 19:02 (Renewable Energy World)

There has been great interest in recent years in using tiny particles called quantum dots to produce low-cost, easily manufactured, stable photovoltaic cells. But, so far, the creation of such cells has been limited by the fact that in practice, quantum dots are not as good at conducting an electric charge as they are in theory. Read more

Dyesol Dye solar cell exceeds durability test by 400 per cent

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 9:36 (Solarserver)

Dye solar cell technology developer and provider, Dyesol Limited (Queanbeyan, Australia), on May 28th, 2013 announced its solar-enabling technology has exceeded a key international photovoltaic industry standard test for long-term durability by 400 per cent. “Dyesol has tested its industrially scalable Dye Solar Cell materials and the material set maintained over 90% of initial performance after an extremely stressful test of 5,000 hours at a constant temperature of 85 C,” Dyesol Chief Scientist Dr. Hans Desilvestro announced. Read more

Mexican Distributed Power Generation market poised for steady growth

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 9:32 (Solarserver)

The distributed power generation (DPG) market in Mexico is expected to grow steadily despite the monopoly of one company, which has limited market potential to an extent through subsidies and strong grid interconnection regulations, according to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan (Mountain View, California, U.S.). The market, for instance for distributed solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy generation, will witness strong demand from oil, gas and mining companies in Eastern Mexico, a region not served by the national grid. Read more

GDF Suez begins operation of 10 MW PV plant in Ontario

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 9:26 (Solarserver)

GDF SUEZ Canada Inc. (Toronto) and its joint venture partners Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Fiera Axium Infrastructure on May 28th, 2013 announced that the 10 MW Brockville Solar project in the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley, Leeds County, Ontario has entered commercial operation under a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Ontario Power Authority. The USD 50 million project, developed under Ontario's Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program, consists of 42,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) PV panels on approximately 80 acres of land, and has the capacity to generate solar power for approximately 1,700 homes in Ontario. Read more

The Solar Duel: China vs. the United States

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 20:47 (Renewable Energy World)

In the past decade, the massive expansion of China’s production and export of silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells and panels has cratered the price of those items globally, creating tension between China and the United States, and, more recently, China and the European Union. Read more

1BOG Takes On Residential Solar with Online Brokering Service

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 18:16 (Renewable Energy World)

One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), whose business model once was pooling communities together to buy into solar energy GroupOn-style, has embarked on a new strategy that shifts to a one-stop online shopping service matching residential solar customers with the solar project that makes the most sense for them. Read more

Lux Research expects solar PV industry to return to health and profitability by 2015

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 14:25 (Solarserver)

Overcapacity and poor margins have bankrupted a multitude of solar photovoltaic (PV) suppliers and forced corporate investors out of the market over the past two years. However, according to Lux Research (Boston, Massachusetts, US), the industry is set to recover quickly thanks to converging supply and demand. After two years of turmoil PV industry is set to rebound, and surviving stakeholders have a fresh new outlook that’s ripe for investment, says Lux Research. Read more

Latin America Report: The Future of Solar in Latin America

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Where are the most promising solar PV markets in Latin America? It depends on a combination of factors, from solar insolation to electricity costs and PV market maturity, and political factors including the effectiveness of existing policies, what is required for new generation, and various economic and investment risks. Read more

Vacon starts manufacture of solar inverters in India

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 13:25 (PV-Tech)

Global AC drives manufacturer Vacon has begun the production of its inverters for solar power generation in the company’s factory in India, having inaugurated it in 2011. Read more

North Carolina Fights Back Against Anti-Solar Bills

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 12:43 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar and renewable energy standards in general have come under increasing attack in the past year as fossil-fuel companies and some utilities are starting to feel the heat and competition from renewable energy generation. Few places have seen such vicious attacks as North Carolina, where Republican legislators pushed legislation forward through co Read more

Ford to buy power from 20MW Mexico solar farm

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 12:34 (PV-Tech)

Mexican PV developer Sonora80M Group has signed an agreement to deliver 15% of energy generated at its 20MW solar park in Mexico to Ford Motor Company. Read more

JinkoSolar supplies 5 MW of PV modules to Sunkon Energy in India

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 11:55 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) on May 29th, 2013 announced that it has completed the delivery to a solar photovoltaic project of total 5 MW in collaboration with Sunkon Energy Ltd. in Ghespur, Gujarat, India. With a total of 17,886 JinkoSolar poly-crystalline PV modules installed, the project was completed within 58 days and covers an area of 80,000 square meters. It is expected to produce 8,030 MWH of solar power per year and reduce CO2 emission by 7,882 tons, JinkoSolar notes. Read more

Software company Ifusionsoft introduces "solar tree" system

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 11:52 (Solarserver)

Ifusionsoft, a software development company based in Bismarck, N.D. is broadening its horizon by inventing solar photovoltaic (PV) components, such the “Solar Tree”, that on own account will increase energy collection efficiency by almost twice that of traditional solar panels. "While there are a few versions of a solar tree architecture, we believe ours is the best, because our design is light-weight, easy to adjust and scale. You can even use our tree indoor by large windows,” says Jesse Smith, CEO of Ifusionsoft. Read more

Yingli, solar companies raise EUR 24,000 for solar lights in Africa

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 11:49 (Solarserver)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) has announced that it has raised EUR 24,000 in collaboration with three other solar companies for charity SolarAid (London, UK). Solar Roof Systems, Kingspan and Atama Solar Energy join Yingli in making the donation, which will be used to support a program to supply solar-powered light to 12 schools across Zambia. Read more

Real Goods Solar selected as Solarize Massachusetts installer

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 9:28 (Solarserver)

PV project developer Real Goods Solar, Inc. (Louisville, Colo.) has been selected as a 2013 Solarize Mass Installer by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Green Communities Division of the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to bring solar electricity to home and business owners in Massachusetts through the Solarize Mass program. Read more

Vote For Solar in Google's Global Impact Challenge

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 7:47 (Renewable Energy World)

Voting ends tomorrow on Google's Global Impact Challenge, in which the public decides which of the 10 finalist projects will walk away with a £500,000 prize. Read more

Polish Offshore Wind Energy Worth €17.5 Billion by 2025

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 18:13 (Renewable Energy World)

Poland could be adding €17.5 billion (PLN 73.8 billion) to its economy by 2025 if it develops its offshore wind energy sector to a potential six gigawatts, a new report by Ernst & Young has revealed. The report, “offshore wind energy — analysis of benefits for the Polish economy and development determinants”, also said that the sector could potenti Read more

Congo Confident $12 Billion Hydropower Plant Will Proceed by 2015

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 17:21 (Renewable Energy World)

The Democratic Republic of Congo will be ready to build the 4,800 megawatt Inga III hydroelectric plant by 2015, after two failed attempts to kick-start the $12 billion project, Minister of Energy Bruno Kapandji said. Read more

Yingli results improve in Q1 2013 on strong European, Japanese sales

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 18:03 (Solarserver)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) has released first quarter 2013 results, reporting a 15% year-over-year decline to USD 431 million in revenues, a -12% operating margin, and a net loss of USD 103 million. Read more

Yingli Green considering manufacturing partnerships in EU and US

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 15:57 (PV-Tech)

In an effort to counter anti-dumping duties in both the EU and the US, Yingli Green Energy is considering both outsourcing module production in the regions as well as possible joint venture manufacturing partnerships. Read more

The Future Could Not Be Clearer for Renewable Energy

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 15:29 (Renewable Energy World)

Okay, the title is a bit of an overstatement. But when it comes to the economy, we don’t need a crystal ball to understand what is coming next. Rarely in history has there been a time when the greatest opportunity available has also been so obvious. People, groups and societies all wish to maintain and improve their standards of living. Yet the ecological underpinnings of the economy that would allow that to happen are at risk from legacy economic activities that we no longer need in order to maintain that standard of living. Seems like a paradox, but it's true. Read more

Osborne closes energy giants’ £900 million tax loophole

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 14:59 (Solarpowerportal)

George Osborne has taken steps to close a tax loophole that allowed energy companies to avoid paying up to £900 million in tax. Read more

Higher shipments hide continued losses at Yingli Green

Thursday, 5.30.2013 - 13:35 (PV-Tech)

Despite seasonally strong module shipments in the first quarter of 2013, Yingli Green Energy continued to make relatively heavy net losses. PV module shipment decreased by only 6.4% from the fourth quarter of 2012. Read more